


The Beast You've Made of Me

by MermaidSheenaz, Tiofrean



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bestiality (but not really), Body Worship, Coming Untouched, Established Relationship, Felching, Fingering, Idiots in Love, Knotting, Loss of Control, Love Confessions, M/M, Masturbation, Mating, Mating Rituals, Nesting, Pack Dynamics, Protective!Daryl, Rimming, Rough Sex, Scenting, au-werewolf, human!rick, prison era, werewolf!Daryl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-26 19:01:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6251788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidSheenaz/pseuds/MermaidSheenaz, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiofrean/pseuds/Tiofrean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While Daryl is out on a run, Rick has problems sleeping without his werewolf mate next to him. He comes up with a plan that helps him with the issue. When Daryl comes back he wholeheartedly approves and wants to do something about their longing for each other after the run-induced separation. But the full moon is near and so he tries to restrain his instincts. Rick, however, has other plans…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I howl when we're apart

**Author's Note:**

> Okay folks, we’ve been brewing this fic for quite a long time now. It’s practically finished, we only need to make a few small adjustments in a few places, but since we’re lazy asses, we need some motivation. Thus, we decided to start posting it in hopes it will give us the final kick we need.  
> As this is practically a finished work, tags apply to the whole fic.
> 
> We also wish to dedicate this fic to our sweethearts: our Wolf Lady [Sorran](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorran), werewolf mastermind [SkinwalkerSkiddo](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SkinwalkerSkiddo), and the one that unintentionally gave us the idea for this fic, [Maranhig](http://archiveofourown.org/users/maranhig).

Rick paced in his cell, the rhythmic thud of his boots echoing off the prison wall. It was actually surprising how he could feel edgy and restless while being absolutely exhausted and sleep deprived at the same time. It was maddening, really, the way his body kept on trying to shut down, even as his mind was constantly focusing on another serious thing that could possibly ruin any sense of calm he still possessed. 

Rick halted to a stop, gazing down at his bunk bed, the mattress looking somehow wrong to his own eyes. He blinked, scanning it intently, trying to find the cause for his two-days-worth of sleep deprivation. Pillows - check, blanket - check, the second, bigger blanket Daryl loved to snuggle up under when no one was looking - cross check…. Rick sighed. He knew exactly what he was missing… or rather  _ whom  _ he was missing. 

Daryl was out on a run, a four days long affair that currently affected Rick greatly. At first the leader thought it wouldn't be that bad, Daryl was good at protecting himself and he always came back like he promised. But all of Daryl's runs had been one day only, and it had never occurred to Rick just how much he could miss his Big Bad Wolf on longer periods of time. It was unbearable, really, the way his eyes were constantly searching for Daryl, even though he knew the man was out, the way he would turn to ask about Daryl's opinion on something just to realize he would have to wait some more before doing that. But the worst part was definitely the constant absence of Rick's lover in his bed at night.

The sheriff had never thought he would miss those quiet, huffed out snores Daryl had been prone to after a tiring day, he had never thought he would miss the grunted out ‘good night’ when he slipped under the covers late in the evening. Hell, he had even doubted he would miss wet fur rubbing at his feet when Daryl decided they were too cold after an evening spent out in the rain and proceeded to warm them up by wrapping his enormous wolf form around them.

And yet, here Rick was, mind racing and body exhausted, looking down at his bunk as if it personally offended him by not having a Daryl attached. He missed his friend, his  _ lover, _ and no matter how much he wanted to push the thoughts about him back and focus on here and now, he couldn't really do a thing about it. Certainly not when he was tired and edgy, feeling Daryl's absence like if a part of him was missing. But Rick couldn't speed up the run, and he knew that well.

The sheriff sighed again, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was acting like some sort of a lovesick teenager and  _ Jesus,  _ how did people even  _ do that? _ How was he supposed to sleep peacefully in an empty bed now? Even Daryl's smell was very faint at best after three days without the hunter wrapped in the blankets bunched up on the mattress… 

Rick considered snuggling into them and trying to trick his body and mind into believing that Daryl was here, but that wouldn't probably work. The sheriff ran his hand over the soft fabric as a truly stupid, yet absolutely  _ perfect _ idea formed in his mind. He needed to relax and rest a bit, and if his cell wasn't good enough for these purposes, he would have to change it. As it happened, he knew an ideal place.

 

_____

 

It took him an hour to organize everything he wanted. It wasn't even hard, but it still took some time and effort. Yet it was all worth it when Rick looked at the end product. 

The sheriff stood in one of the empty cells in the previously cleared block D. He and Daryl commandeered one of them a few weeks ago when they finally decided they should do something about their mutual attraction. After the first night they had spent together, Rick decided that they would have to think of some kind of a private place, especially if his beautiful wild lover was going to keep being as loud as on that first night. 

Soon after, it turned out that werewolves were indeed unexpectedly  _ loud _ in bed, huffing, howling,  _ growling, _ and a place just for the two of them became a necessity. They went for the empty cell, distant enough from the rest of their family to feel private, but close enough that Daryl could hear if something dangerous was going on in their pack. As soon as they picked which one they wanted, they decided to get rid of the bunk bed and to leave only the mattress and a big blanket to cover themselves with inside. It would have probably been wiser to leave the bed inside, because the mattress was thin enough for them to feel the hard floor underneath. Rick didn't miss the bunk, though, not when, no longer restricted to its narrow frame, he could ask Daryl to shift after they were both spent and done, snuggling up to the giant wolf and letting his black fur keep Rick's human body warm. 

But, as the only furniture in the cell was the mattress with the blanket thrown over it, it was pretty uncomfortable to spend longer periods of time in there. The blanket was only thick enough to keep the cold at bay, and that was possible with two bodies curled up underneath. If Rick went through with his plan, he would probably freeze his ass off not having Daryl to keep him warm. And so, he started to work on upgrading their cell. 

Rick started with picking up another two mattresses from other cells and dragging them to theirs, filling the free space on the floor. They covered the ground nicely and with some adjusting, and a few old cushions thrown in strategic places, half of the cell was soon padded wall-to-wall with mattress. The space looked comfortable enough, but Rick knew he still needed something to wrap himself in, so he went on a search for blankets, pillows and about every fluffy article of clothing he and Daryl could spare. 

It took him four trips to the cell block C, but Rick managed to sneak out about five blankets, all spare pillows from the little storage room they used for supplies, and a few of their own shirts and bed sheets. He dumped everything on the mattress-filled floor and got on top of the giant pile. Wriggling around a bit and rearranging everything, Rick managed to form something that very much resembled a giant pillow fort. It was big enough for two, fluffy enough to be heavenly comfortable and there were enough blankets to survive the winter while wrapped in them.

Rick looked around after he was done with pulling and tugging at the last of the blankets, the fabric soft and thick, making him want to snuggle underneath and just fall asleep. The whole place looked like a giant nest, and Rick blushed realizing he had actually built just that. A love nest for the two of them. 

It was spacey and comfortable, and Rick sighed as he plopped down into the fluffy, cloud-like bedding. His mind immediately went to Daryl, wondering whether the werewolf would like his masterpiece. True, Daryl sometimes acted like an overgrown eager puppy when they were together, but there was no guarantee of him actually liking what Rick had done with the place. 

Oh well, Rick thought, time will show. For now he settled for laying back and enjoying the heaven while he could. He stretched his body, rolling a bit to the side to test the size of the nest, pleased to discover that his werewolf would fit in easily in both forms. Maybe he could put someone responsible on watch and convince Daryl to spend the whole night here? Just the prospect of snuggling up against the big, black beast and sleeping the night that way made Rick melt into the bedding. 

But it wasn’t going to happen in the nearest future, not with the full moon slowly approaching. Rick knew that. Daryl never let himself be anywhere near the sheriff in his wolf form when the moon filled up. He always claimed it made him feel on edge and that he didn’t want to risk hurting his mate. Rick understood, he agreed with the terms and, even if his bed felt colder without his wolf to keep him warm, he was set on minding the borders. 

But closing your eyes and dreaming a little never hurt anyone, right? And so, Rick closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander, feeling his body relax a bit more with every image of Daryl which passed through his mind. He started with picturing how Daryl’s eyes looked like when they were together for the first time, how wide-eyed and tentative they both were, and yet how desperate and full of heat that flew through their veins. 

Just the sole thought of how Daryl gently caressed Rick’s body on that night, how very careful he had been despite his bone-crushing strength, it made the sheriff feel hot all over again. It had always been like this with the two of them - gentle touches and slow exploration, going on and on until they were both delirious with pleasure and one of them finally snapped, pulling the other down and fucking him breathless. Rick absolutely loved the way they always ended up tangled together, no matter if it was him fucking Daryl, eyes meeting and lips molding together, or if it was Daryl fucking Rick, on hands and knees,  in an entirely wolf-like position,  with possessive little growls pouring straight into his ears. 

The sheriff hissed with pleasure when his hips shifted at the memory of their last encounter, his cock grinding into the pillow underneath him. It was enough to make him roll fully on his front and let his mind run wild. 

He adored the way Daryl sometimes got possessive and protective over him, how he could feel the wolf’s strength in his human body, keeping him in place with strong hands wrapped around Rick’s waist, pushing into him over and over until Rick was ready to lose his mind. It was intoxicating to feel Daryl’s teeth at his neck, biting down at the sensitive skin and holding on, keeping him immobilized when his body surrendered to the sweet pleasure coursing through his veins. Knowing it was the same jaw that could easily break bones and crush skulls, feeling its deathly power within reach, yet completely tamed. 

Rick moaned, shifting his hips again, both hands clenching in the blanket that somehow ended up smashed against his face when he let his head fall down. The visual images made him hot, the memories of Daryl picking him apart with every little touch sent sparks shooting up his spine. He started up a slow grinding motion, moaning quietly when his chest rubbed on the bedding. It made the fabric of his shirt scratch lightly at his nipples, sending little shivers traveling through his system.

He licked his lips, mind jumping from one encounter to another, from Daryl’s broad hands to his gentle lips, from the wriggling tongue to the taste of his skin. Rick’s cock throbbed where it was squished into the pillow, already leaking and hard enough to border on painful, and Rick wondered absentmindedly how long was it since they had been together. 

_ Three nights, _ his brain supplied, and he clenched his teeth and rutted harder into the bed, mind overflowing with images of him and his werewolf together, getting filthy and doing all those deprived things that would make other people blush. Rick loved every single one of them, each one they had done already, each one they would do in the future. 

Rick moaned, head growing dizzy and body tingly all over. He untangled one hand and sneaked it into his pants, unzipping them, rucking up his shirt in the process. He tugged them down just enough to free his erection, his other hand still fisting the blanket tightly. He moved a bit, weight shifting to his elbow as his ass rose a bit giving him just enough space to work. Rick started to stroke himself, spreading the precome all the way over his hot length, feeling it jump in his palm. He imagined a different set of fingers wrapped around him, squeezing and pulling. He could almost hear the growled encouragements, little sucks and nibbles marking his neck, biting into his flesh. 

Daryl had once bit him on the scruff of his neck, hard enough to draw blood, marking Rick forever. He loved that mark, even if with him being human it didn’t provoke any actual chemical bonding reaction, it still made him absolutely crazy when Daryl sank his teeth into it on every occasion he got, re-opening the wound and sucking the blood out of it. It always made Rick mad with pleasure, feeling his strong lover lay a claim over his body like that, possessive yet caring, sharp teeth biting with only the tiniest amount of strength, trying not to hurt him. 

Even now, propped on one arm among the various pillows surrounding him, his other hand working his cock with a single-minded intent, Rick could feel the bite tingle at the merest thought of his wild lover being with him. Rick pictured how Daryl’s whole body tensed when the hunter tasted his blood for the first time, how his muscles jolted into a startled stillness, how he was perfectly frozen in place just before he started to pound him with abandon, making Rick see stars in record time. 

“Ah, fuck” he panted, hips bucking up into his hand, and with one last thought of Daryl sucking on the mark he came, little punched-out moan escaping him as he stroked himself through his climax, painting the blanket with his release. He collapsed, sighing at the aftershocks wrecking his body, not really caring that he smeared the mess all over the blanket, his rucked up shirt and his stomach. It was too fucking good to pay any attention to such details, anyway. 

He came down from his high slowly, the blissed out state making his bones melt and his head swim in that lazy state of pleasurable dizziness. Wincing a bit at the cooling mess on his skin, Rick rolled onto his back and groped around for something to clean himself with. His hand encountered one of the bed sheets he dragged here earlier and, deciding it was as good a thing as any, he dabbed at his stomach, absentmindedly cleaning himself a bit. 

After a few moments of catching his breath, Rick started to feel the cold seeping in into his body. He knew he should move and get back to his own cell, but his muscles still felt a little bit too jelly and his bones seemed to have liquified somewhere during the last half an hour. So instead of getting up, Rick turned around and tugged one of the blankets, rolling himself up like a giant burrito and snuggled in the fluffy fabric. He was asleep in seconds, snoring quietly and dreaming peacefully for the first time since Daryl went out on the run.


	2. Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest

As soon as Daryl came back from the run and got out of the car, he could immediately feel Rick’s gaze slipping up and down his body. He turned his eyes toward the prison and there his mate was, walking to him in sure, unhurried steps. Or that was what it looked like for other people, anyway, for Daryl could easily see the tense muscles of his shoulders accompanied by little jittery twitches of his hand as if Rick wanted to grab something but was desperately willing himself not to.

The werewolf smirked, waiting for their leader to walk the distance between the prison and their car, watching his every step. 

“All fine?” Rick asked as soon as he was within the earshot, his blue eyes widening when they took the hunter in. Daryl knew he was covered in guts and probably dripping with blood from head to toe, courtesy of a few very insistent walkers. He nodded at Rick, feeling that strange warmth spreading through his chest when his mate visibly relaxed his shoulders.

“Jus’ some walkers bein’ insistent as always” Daryl grunted out, eyeing Rick curiously. The man was far too jittery and tense where he stood, jaw muscles working and limbs twitching. Daryl frowned.  
  
“Are _you_ okay?” He asked back, the wolf in him bristling at the thought that something might have happened to his mate, or to their pack, while he was absent. It had always been like this, Daryl reckoned. Even before they got somehow together, Daryl would be making sure the leader of their pack was alright, even if nobody else thought there was something wrong with him. But Daryl could always see when Rick’s eyes were a bit too sharp, he could always hear his stride being a bit too hard, he could smell his natural scent being just slightly off.

Daryl was a werewolf, and it didn’t matter whether he was currently in his human or wolf form, all of his senses were always attuned to his pack, constantly checking on his family’s well-being. Checking on _Rick_. The sheriff had it hard for the past few months, and Daryl made it his mission to keep the man safe and well, to provide everything he may need or wish for. It scared the hunter, back in the early days of his fascination. He and Rick had been friends for a long time, they had become friends right after the quarry and their relationship had only grown in strength over the time they spent at the farm.

It was something Daryl had never expected to have, the easy way they fell into each other. He had always been a fighter, trained by fate to bite little pieces out of other people’s happiness, building his own life with whatever he could get. But, from the first moment he realized Rick was indeed his friend, it all became easier. He didn’t have to fight so hard for the man’s approval, for his loyalty. It was as if he had proven himself to their leader, shown Rick his worth on one or two occasions, and now he was able to bask in the warm afterglow of it. Rick never questioned him, hell, the leader was prone to questioning _himself_ and then turning to Daryl for help. It made the wolf inside the hunter howl with pride and scratch its claws all over his heart.

And so, Daryl could feel every little scratch etched deeply in his heart, sharp claws painting ‘ _mine’_ over and over, until he had no other choice, but to face it. And then to agree with it. He knew he picked up on what was going on in the feelings department a lot quicker than he probably would have, if it hadn’t been for his wild nature. He loved Rick. And the wolf side of him did, too.

Once, in the heat of the moment, Daryl hadn't been able to stop himself and had bitten Rick hard enough to leave a permanent mark. For any other werewolf it would be a clear sign that now they were mated for life, but Rick wasn't a wolf and Daryl couldn't expect from him to act like one. Still, he called Rick his mate and he let himself re-open the wound time after time, licking the fresh blood, getting high on his lover's most primal taste. Daryl didn't talk to Rick about the implications, he figured he couldn't force him into a commitment their leader wasn't ready for. Rick was fresh out of hell with what had happened in the prison, with the Governor and with Lori… It may have been weeks, months even, when he finally stopped seeing her ghost, but it was still too soon. Daryl didn't blame him, not when he himself lost his brother. He knew exactly how hard it must have been for Rick and couldn’t really force the man to reconsider their agreement, to make him decide whether he wanted it to be something more, something with that scary, yet delightful element of eternity to it. Daryl held it all in his palm, knowing that he wanted to give all he had to this man, maybe for the first time in his whole life.

It was surprising really, how easy it was to fall for this man. Werewolves mated for life, and Daryl had once thought it would take him a long time to find anyone he could even consider as his second half. And yet, when Rick had first walked into his life, bowlegged gait making his hips sway and his eyes hard with determination, Daryl had to rethink his beliefs. And then, they both got to know each other a bit better, living and fighting together.

Rick, forced by his fate, encouraged actively and passively by their group, became the leader, and Daryl had been honestly surprised that he felt good with it. The werewolf considered himself the alpha male, always looking after the well-being of his pack, ready to take the reigns if something dangerous was happening. So it came as a big surprise when Rick, a human, became the one in charge and the werewolf had nothing against following his orders, despite Daryl’s superior physical strength.

In fact, Daryl was happy about it. Rick was a very good leader, always looking after their group, doing everything he could to keep them together and healthy. He was also fiercely protective of his kids, ready to do unspeakable things to protect them. This, connected with how Rick acted towards him, how he always treated him with utter respect and loyalty, it melted every wall Daryl had ever built around himself. He realized with startling clarity that he wanted this man, that he wanted Rick to be his partner, his mate, wanted to give him everything Daryl had. But, even if his heart was ready to be handed to Rick, he knew he had to wait, he had to give his sheriff all the time he needed to sort his own feelings out. Because Daryl had no doubt there were some warm feelings Rick harbored for him, just the exact nature and shape of those feelings were too unstable for the werewolf to identify.

That was why Daryl waited patiently, the infinity of his feelings packed tightly in his heart and ready for Rick to take it. In the meantime, he kept on protecting and providing, keeping their family safe and well-fed. He kept going on runs and coming back from them at all costs, for Daryl knew if something happened to him, their pack might have been put in danger. And anyway, he _wanted_ to come back from runs, for the first time in his life he had something to come home to. Werewolves were pack creatures and Daryl had been dreaming of a decent group he could commit to years before the apocalypse started. Merle always insisted that they should stick together, never trusting anyone. Daryl had been ready to ransack the little camp near the quarry just like his brother wanted. But that was a long time ago, in another life.

“I’m fine” Rick’s voice tore the hunter out of his musings. He looked at the sheriff, taking in his still tense posture, but shrugged and nodded, turning back to the car. Rick followed, greeting Glenn and Maggie as he approached the battered Tucson. The whole front of the car was covered in blood and guts, and Daryl watched as their leader swallowed heavily, eyes slipping over the carnage left by a small herd they had run into on their way back to the prison. The werewolf shrugged again, eyes following Rick’s, stopping on one intestine jammed under the hood, dangling from it rather sadly. He cleared his throat, feeling Rick’s questioning gaze on him.  
  
“‘s nothin’, we got back, didn’ we?” Daryl pointed out and popped the trunk open, leaning down and starting to unload their haul of supplies. He took box after box out of the car and frowned heavily when he felt Rick’s gaze landing on him yet again. After he unpacked all of their supplies out onto the curb, he finally turned to Rick, catching his blue blue eyes with his own. Rick’s stare didn’t falter even a little, turning into something darker and more hungry instead. Daryl could feel a little shiver running down his spine. The way Rick licked his lips as his eyes bore holes right in Daryl’s soul made his heart beat faster. And then Rick’s gaze slipped down over Daryl’s body, assessing and looking for injuries - a casual observer could tell. But Daryl knew Rick’s gaze was more heated than that.

He wasn’t checking Daryl’s body for any signs of danger, he was positively caressing it with his eyes, and the hunter had to turn back to the job at hand or he would jump Rick right in that second. His man smelled delicious, even with the distance between them, his natural scent sending the message of being home straight to Daryl's brain, making him feel safe and at ease, while giving him a strange sense of energy at the same time. Especially with how their leader was looking at him right in that moment.

The run took them a little longer than usually, and Daryl was as frustrated as Rick seemed to be, to tell the truth. They had spent every night together since they had agreed on this thing between them, whatever it was. And Daryl was ridiculously happy with their sex life as it was. But then he went on a run with Maggie and Glenn, and… Well, there’s only that much one can stand while away from his mate and locked up in a car with the two biggest lovebirds of the apocalypse. And he missed Rick. Not only their late night tumbles in bed, but also the closeness of their leader. Both sides of Daryl, the human and the wolf, found Rick’s presence incredibly comforting, so when he had to wrap himself in a blanket in the driver’s seat of the car, watching Glenn and Maggie kissing softly at the backseat, snuggled up to each other, it was enough to make him almost whine in misery.

Daryl was very happy to be back at the prison finally, and he was actually ecstatic seeing the sheriff eyefucking him right there, out in the open. Even if it impaired his ability to gather the supplies as quickly as usual - his mind was far too invested in thinking what they could do together once the boxes were taken care of. He knew it shouldn’t be anything adventurous, not with the full moon approaching slowly, creeping up on him and making his skin tingle. It was dangerous, even if Daryl could shift at will, the instincts were always harder to control when he could feel the pull. But maybe Rick would let him at least lick a little bit? The hunter had missed him so badly that being able to actually lay his mate out on their mattress and lick every bit of his skin sounded like a dream.

With a forceful shake of his head to clear it, Daryl hauled up a box and forced his feet to move towards the prison. He could hear Rick lifting a box, too, the sheriff grunting a little at the weight of it, before they both went to the prison, heading for the storage room. It took only about half an hour to get the whole car unloaded, thanks to Maggie and Glenn joining them. When they were about to head back for the last of the boxes, Rick suddenly grabbed Daryl’s arm and tugged him into one of the unused hallways.

He turned them around and walked Daryl back into one of the walls. The hunter groaned when he felt himself being pressed between the hard concrete at his back and Rick’s hot body. The sheriff seemed to almost vibrate in the dark and narrow corridor as he leaned in and pressed his lips to Daryl’s, Rick’s insistent tongue slipping inside Daryl’s mouth and reclaiming him. The werewolf practically growled, inhaling sharply, getting a waft of his lover's scent. It was different than before, when they were only starting on unpacking the car. Then it had spoken of home and safety, of relief and concern. Now it was a clear message, the “I want to fuck” carrying on as easily as if it had been shouted aloud. The undertone of “you're mine” drove the werewolf absolutely wild.

And then Rick ground his hips into him and Daryl moaned at the wonderful feeling of having his mate pressed up against him after three long nights apart. The werewolf bucked back into the tease, feeling the arousal shooting up his spine and his cock filling. He bit at Rick’s lips when the sheriff broke the kiss and leaned back. Both of Rick’s hands were fisted in Daryl’s filthy clothes and he looked down at them.

“Go and take a shower, then come and find me” Rick growled, pressing his whole body into Daryl one last time before he stepped back, almost making Daryl stumble in place when Rick’s weight pressing him into the wall suddenly disappeared.

The hunter blinked into the darkness of the corridor, eyes focusing on Rick’s retreating figure, at the stiffness in his gait. _Well,_ he thought, _looks like he missed me, too…_ and with one last deep breath, Daryl pushed himself off the wall and headed to the showers, already working on peeling his soiled clothes away. _His mate wanted him_ , the wolf almost purred with delight, _his mate missed him._


	3. My blood is singing with your voice

It took Daryl a whole of twenty minutes to be done with thoroughly cleaning himself of every bit of walkers’ blood that had seeped through his clothes. When he was done, he didn’t even bother to redress himself, and settled on just wrapping a towel around his waist. He knew exactly where Rick would be, and even if he hadn’t known, his mate's heavy scent would guide him. Daryl padded there silently, his stride quick and his every step filled with intent.

Daryl's feet carried him over to the cell block D. He entered the mostly silent building, it’s quietness interrupted only by Rick's breathing. Daryl’s heightened senses had no trouble with picking up on that particular sound, his whole body and mind attuned to his mate.

He walked past other cells, one, two, three, four… the faint scent that was noticeable even in the corridor got a lot more prominent here. Daryl inhaled deeply, feeling his skin tingle when he tasted the air around him. It smelled like Rick, it smelled like arousal, like passion and trust, it smelled like _his mate_. Daryl stopped sharply when he finally walked up to their cell. He blinked stupidly, gaze shifting between Rick and the cell's interior, the wolf side of him making him feel excited and happy even before his brain caught up with what his eyes were seeing.

The whole cell was padded with mattresses, pillows and blankets placed on them, forming something that looked like a comfortable love nest. Different articles of clothing and bed sheets thrown in random places gave the whole installment a cozy feeling of home-like safety. And on top of all that - with his shirt half-unbuttoned - was Rick, his sheriff, their fearless leader, sprawled on the cushions and pillows like a dinner laid out on a buffet, looking delicious from the top of his curly head to the tips of his bare toes.

Daryl stumbled a few steps inside, the toes of his boots hitting the edge of the mattress, and looked around again. His lungs suddenly started to burn and he realized he had stopped breathing for a while, stunned into silence by what he saw. Daryl inhaled deeply, his nose filling with their combined scents, making the wolf side of him almost purr with delight. It looked and smelled like a mating den, and the fact that Rick was still there, looking up at Daryl with those beautiful big blue eyes didn’t help the situation. The hunter shifted his gaze to him, taking in how at ease Rick was, how absolutely beautiful he looked here, how _right._

Daryl swallowed heavily and Rick frowned, seeing the reaction.

“Daryl?” The leader asked tentatively, thinking whether he had somehow managed to misstep in his preparations. Had he brought too many pillows here? Or maybe too many blankets? Rick tried to find the answer as he stared at Daryl, the man now blinking furiously and seemingly frozen in place.

The truth was, Daryl’s brain short-circuited as soon as he stepped inside that cell. His wolf instincts were electrified by the message the nest carried, the implication of it. Werewolves mated for life, it was always all or nothing for them. To be presented, to be _gifted_ with such a mating den… Even though they were both male and they couldn't have pups together, it still spoke of love and eternity, of trust and passion. And this den shouted _be mine forever_ like nothing else Daryl had ever seen. By building this little love nest Rick had practically asked him to marry him, and Daryl was suddenly breathless with it, choked by his own emotions.

“Yes” he murmured, kneeling down on the mattress and crawling over to Rick, who was watching him with the frown still present on his handsome face.

“What?” Rick asked, licking his lips at the hunter’s close proximity. Daryl was wearing only a towel wrapped around his lean hips, chest bare and on display right in front of Rick’s face. As soon as Daryl’s own face was level with Rick’s, he dove down, claiming those sweet, ridiculously plush lips in a hungry kiss. He felt Rick’s hands settle on his sides, then travel up and down his ribs and to his back, nails scraping his skin gently when he plundered the sheriff’s mouth with his tongue.

Rick broke the kiss on a moan, palms rubbing up and down Daryl’s body. He could feel himself growing hard in his jeans and the heat radiating off of the werewolf didn’t help one bit. But he didn’t mind, not when he could see a corresponding tent beneath Daryl’s towel when he shifted a little and settled between Rick’s legs. Rick figured that whatever had made Daryl freeze up after entering the cell wasn't relevant anymore. They were back together _at last_ , and his lover's enthusiasm was a pretty clear sign that Rick had made a good call with his extra preparations. The hunter ran both hands up and down Rick’s shirt-clad chest, before he ducked his head and pressed his mouth to the man’s neck, kissing and sucking the sensitive skin there. His hands went to Rick’s button-up and proceeded to undo it, the slow progress making Rick shiver in anticipation.

And then, Daryl started to move down, licking and nibbling a new patch of Rick’s skin with every button opened, slowly moving down his chest. Rick groaned when the shirt was unbuttoned and the werewolf started to tug it to the sides, revealing more of the flesh he could kiss and suck on.

“Hold up” Rick murmured, voice raspy from the pleasurable caress he was slowly but surely getting high on. He lifted himself up just enough to take the shirt off and throw it to the side without much care. Daryl used that time to slither even further down his body, running his lips over the waistband of Rick’s worn out jeans. He licked a wet path all the way to Rick’s hips and froze in place, making Rick look down at him.

The hunter had his cheek pressed to Rick’s hip, but his face was turned to the side, facing away from him. Rick threaded one hand gently through Daryl’s messy hair.

“Hey…” he started, but Daryl’s sharp intake of breath and the low growl that escaped him on the exhale stopped Rick’s words instantly. The werewolf closed his eyes and inhaled deeply once again, his whole body tensing. After a longer moment he just looked up at Rick, his eyes almost black and filled with fire.

“ _Fuck_ , Rick” he rasped, crawling back over the stunned leader and attacking him with a filthy kiss.

Rick’s confusion melted away after a few seconds as the realization dawned on him. It was that part of the blanket he had came all over the previous night. Daryl must have sensed it with his wolfish nose, he must have figured out what exactly Rick had been up to when he hadn’t been there.   
“Jesus… Yer gonna... kill me... one o’ these days” Daryl murmured between nibbles to Rick’s plum bottom lip, and he moaned, writhing under him, arching into the strong body. Daryl growled low in his throat and pressed him down into the mattress, pulling his head back to see a blush that had made its way to Rick’s cheeks. He still thought it was absolutely cute when Rick blushed even after everything they’ve done together. They could talk later, now he had something entirely different on his mind...

The leader closed his eyes on a low moan when Daryl decided to slither down again, licking a broad stripe from Rick’s collarbone to his nipple, laving at it with his tongue and nibbling gently, drawing all sorts of delicious sounds from his mate. He gave the other one the same treatment, watching with satisfaction as Rick squirmed under the onslaught, hips hitching up to meet Daryl’s. And then, the wolf instincts took charge and he started to just lick at every bit of Rick’s skin he had within his reach. Shoulders, arms, the side of his chest… He pulled Rick’s arm up and licked a wet path up to his armpit, enjoying the pure scent of his mate, tearing a surprised giggle out of Rick.

“The fuck are ya doin’, Daryl?” Rick asked between huffs of laughter, and the hunter couldn’t stop himself from smiling when he spotted the happy crinkles adorning Rick’s face. He grinned instead of answering and moved down, licking into Rick’s navel and down his happy trail, down to the button of his pants. The leader groaned and his hips shifted when Daryl placed one hand on his hard length and rubbed him through the denim. Daryl licked his lips and attacked the fastenings, quickly undoing them and tugging the jeans off of Rick’s hips. Once they were off and thrown over Daryl’s shoulder, he dove back down, mouthing Rick through his boxers, licking at the cock inside them until the cotton was dark and wet with saliva. Rick’s back arched off the mattress when Daryl sucked the head, a long sigh leaving the leader’s lips on a stuttering breath.

Rick couldn’t stop himself from swearing when Daryl tugged his boxers down and off, immediately attaching himself to the hard length in front of him. Daryl hummed in appreciation as he licked and sucked all over the delicate skin of Rick’s shaft, the hotness of it and the musky scent of his lover making the wolf practically purr. The vibrations traveled all the way through Rick’s body, setting him on fire, making him clench his hands in the blankets and pillows strewn around them. Daryl turned his head, mouth landing on the delicate patch where hip met thigh, nibbling there, too. The werewolf was hungry for the taste of Rick’s skin, for the smell of him, for the warmth and the sounds that the sheriff couldn’t contain. So he gently spread Rick’s thighs and moved lower, ran his wet tongue over the soft flesh just behind Rick’s balls.

Rick let out an almost obscene moan at that, his legs falling even more open, giving Daryl space to work. And _god_ , did he work. He sucked his perineum until Rick was breathless and only then he moved lower, licking his small opening, growling while he did that. The sensations were heady, the way Daryl just pushed his tongue in, slick and hot and insistent… It made Rick’s head feel dizzy. He couldn’t help the sounds escaping him anymore, even if every positively whorish moan brought even more blush to his face. But Daryl got off on that, too, if the intensity and raw enthusiasm with which he was eating Rick out were anything to go by.

When he finally detached his mouth with one last filthy slurp, he looked up at Rick, eyes blazing and chest heaving, he looked for all the world like the predator he was. Rick’s cock twitched where it laid on his stomach, precome pooling on his heated skin.

“Fuck… Come ‘ere” Rick rasped out, wrapping his arms around Daryl’s shoulders as soon as the man moved back over him. He kissed Daryl with all of himself, a dirty meeting of lips that left them both panting for each breath. And then Daryl leaned back up and looked around the blankets. Even if he shouldn't mount Rick, or let Rick mount him so close to the full moon, he still could fuck him with his fingers without the risk of losing control.

“Where’s the lube?” He asked, looking back at Rick. The leader only grunted, stretching one hand and digging under the blankets, finding the bottle he had stashed there earlier, wedged between the mattresses. He fished it out, handing it to his lover, biting his lip when Daryl immediately got some on his fingers and slipped them inside Rick’s body.

“Jesus Christ” the hunter choked out when Rick’s tight heat enveloped two of his fingers, the muscles adjusting and squeezing around them. Daryl could feel the heat of Rick’s body moving around the invading digits, and in this moment he was sure he would never get tired of this. Even a few moments spent with Rick like that, open and trusting, made Daryl feel more alive than surviving in the apocalypse ever could. And so he moaned when he felt Rick’s hole clenching on his fingers, arousal spreading through his own body like melted chocolate, hot and sticky and so very sweet.

“Daryl” came the quiet whisper and Daryl opened his eyes, having no memory of closing them. Rick was looking at him, gaze heavy, lips parted on quiet pants. God, he looked so utterly wonderful, Daryl had a serious problem with restraining himself. He moved his fingers in and out of Rick’s ass, drawing a few soft sounds from his lover, each one of them melting his resolve a little more. When he felt Rick’s body relaxing enough to take in three of his fingers, something in him broke. He eased the third digit gently inside, watching Rick’s face intently, looking for any sign of discomfort, ready to stop at a moment’s notice.

But the sheriff only licked his lips and scrunched his eyes shut, and then he fucking _arched_ his back and pushed down on the fingers, and _god_ , but Daryl knew when he was beaten. He let his head flop down on Rick’s shoulder, all air leaving his chest on a long sigh. Daryl stopped all his movements and tried to calm his instincts. The wolf side of him was making itself known, wild and untamed, scratching at his insides, adding to the fire burning within him.

Rick frowned when he felt Daryl’s body sag against him. He brought both of his arms around Daryl’s back, feeling it tensing up gradually, muscles coiling a bit more with every exhale.

“Hey, you alright?” He rasped, getting no answer from his hunter. Rick squeezed around the fingers still lodged deep inside him, which tore a long and stuttering moan out of Daryl. “Dar..”  
“I wanna fuck you” the werewolf mumbled into his shoulder, his face still pressed into Rick’s skin, breathing growing heavier as his muscles flexed under his skin.

“Well, I wantcha to fuck me, so come ‘ere” Rick tried to shift Daryl’s head to catch his eyes, but the man only shook it, long hair tickling Rick’s skin, his sparse beard making it tingle pleasantly. His hips bucked at the sensation, arousal still had a strong grip on his body. Rick felt the fingers retreat from his ass, the feeling of emptiness tearing a disappointed groan from him. But Daryl lifted his head, looking at him with such raw hunger in his gaze that Rick started to feel hot all over again.

“I can’t. I’ll hurt ya” Daryl murmured, looking to the side, chewing on his lip. It was a real torture, to have Rick under him, all pliant and willing, already open and so fucking delicious, and not be able to take him. Daryl knew he could, knew that Rick wanted it as much as he did. But he couldn’t let himself do it right now, not on this evening, not on the next few nights. The full moon was coming, and he could lose whatever hold on sanity he still had, and he could _hurt_ Rick, and there was no way he would let that happen. Rick was his lover, maybe, somewhere in the future, Rick could be his real mate… And even if it never came to that, Daryl couldn’t let himself hurt him. Not like this, not when all his instincts told him to protect his fragile human.

Good god, nature was a bitch.

Rick watched Daryl curiously, seeing the hesitation, sensing how strong he tried not to give in to what his body wanted him to do. To what both of them wanted to do. Rick was acutely aware of Daryl’s strength, of the wild side of him that screamed danger, he knew just how this could end. But, if he was to be honest with himself, he would let Daryl do anything to him. _He could fuck me and he could bite me, he could tear me apart and I would fucking let him do it,_ Rick thought, as he made a decision.

He gingerly pushed Daryl back, kissing him when the werewolf gave a strange whining sound of disappointment. Rick was sure Daryl would deny it later, but the leader found it absolutely heartbreaking when he saw how much he fought his nature. All for Rick.

And so, having a bit of space between them, Rick broke the kiss and turned around with a mischievous smile. He settled on his hands and knees, naked skin on his back shivering now that it was exposed, as he waited trying not to think too much about the consequences. For a moment, the cell was so quiet Rick could actually hear every sharp breath Daryl took. He arched his back a little and pushed his ass higher up, shifting his hips a bit from one side to the other. There was a low groan behind him.

Daryl pounced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun...


	4. The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to everyone who has been encouraging and supporting to us while we were working on this fic. I hope you'll all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it. On the side note, I want to state one very important thing that is closely related to enjoyment - CONSENT. Yup, consent is the most motherfucking important thing in the whole world. And consent is what makes sex _sexy_. So yeah, now let us shout "Shotgun!". Buckle up, folks, we're on a highway to hell!

Rick felt Daryl’s weight settle against his back as two strong arms wrapped around his chest, pulling him back, pressing him into the warm body behind. He moaned a little, the silky hardness of Daryl’s length grinding into one of his ass cheeks, and Rick blearily thought that the hunter must have taken off the towel and was now kneeling behind him naked, skin touching overheating skin. He shifted his hips back, listening to the growl it provoked, skin prickling at the almost animalistic sound.

“I... _Jesus, Rick_ … I wanna fuck ya… like a fuckin’ _animal_ ” Daryl breathed into his neck, mouthing at it softly, lips traveling over the bite mark he left there a long time ago. Rick let his head drop, exposing more of the skin for his mate to nose and lick over, as he tried to calm his breathing or else he would start hyperventilating.

“Come on, _fuck_ , Dare, come on!” He reached back with one hand, blindly groping at Daryl’s thigh, digging his nails in as soon as his fingers found the purchase. He was hard, his cock positively leaking on the bedding underneath him, and he knew that if he didn’t get Daryl inside him soon he would go out of his mind. The hunter hissed and growled again, a deep rumble reverberating all through Rick’s body, before something in him snapped.

The next thing Rick knew, Daryl was holding him tightly with both arms wrapped around his waist, cock pressing inside his body, and fuck, but he couldn’t help the moans that escaped him. The sheriff always forgot just how big Daryl was, until the length of him was slipping inside and burned Rick in the sweetest of ways.

As soon as Daryl bottomed out, hips pressed tightly to Rick’s ass, he stilled, giving him time to adjust. Daryl purred softly, feeling the muscles around his cock clenching and unclenching as his mate tried to relax, a few frantic pants and grunts followed by long, almost forced breaths. Daryl kept nuzzling into the nape of his neck the whole time, arms wrapped around Rick’s waist uncoiling a bit, letting him breathe more easily. After a few deep inhales Rick moved experimentally, feeling as every little shift of his body made the hard length inside him rub at his walls, sending heat pooling at the base of his spine.

A few more careful shifts, and they managed to establish a slow and easy rhythm. Every careful thrust brought waves of pleasure washing over the both of them, but it wasn’t nowhere near enough, not after three nights spent apart.

“God, Daryl” Rick whimpered on a more powerful shove, pressing back against the solid weight of his werewolf, who only hummed in response, licking and sucking between his shoulderblades. Daryl scraped his teeth over the knobs of Rick’s spine and angled his thrusts a bit, catching Rick’s prostate and making him jolt.

“Again” he panted and Daryl obliged, fucking into him with more vigour. Daryl could feel the wilderness singing inside him, crashing through his body like a freight train. The pull was strong, especially now, and he desperately tried to stop his instincts that told him to fuck Rick into the mattress. But it was hard, _god_ , how hard it was to stop himself from what his body, what the approaching full moon demanded of him. Rick’s sweet scent surrounding him, the soft sounds of pure pleasure falling from those perfect lips were making it almost impossible.

And then Rick groaned, and said “harder” and Daryl couldn’t help himself anymore. Logic and reason went flying out of the window as Daryl threw all caution to the wind. Rick wanted him to give him all he had, and he couldn’t deny his mate. Not ever, and certainly not now, when Rick was all pliant and stripped bare before him, body almost vibrating with need in their little den he built for Daryl.

With a growl, the werewolf bit down on Rick’s neck, holding him steady, both hands landing on his hips and keeping him in place. He picked up his pace, the rhythm getting bolder and quicker. He was pounding into Rick in no time at all, each punched out whine coming from his mate making the wolf inside him howl. When he reached down and wrapped one hand around Rick’s neglected cock, the leader arched his back so violently Daryl was afraid his spine would snap. Rick clenched down on his length, drawing a helpless sound from Daryl and the hunter could feel his resolve shattering to million tiny pieces.

“Jesus” Rick breathed when he felt Daryl’s hand, the one placed on his hip, grow sharp claws that dug into his skin. He risked a glance down and, sure enough, Daryl’s palm was decidedly wolfish now, gigantic black paw wrapped precariously over Rick’s hipbone. He moaned at the sight, only now becoming actually aware of just how hard the man was fighting for his control. The paw disappeared after a moment, coming back to Daryl’s usual, human palm, rough skin taking the place of the silky smooth fur. Rick swallowed heavily when on the next almost brutal shove which sent sparks of pleasure flying up his spine, Daryl’s chest broadened behind him. It was just a flash, the blink-it-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of shift, but it was there. The minimal weight change, the lack of any space between their bodies, the fur tickling his skin in the most delicious way.

Rick closed his eyes, the danger lurking just behind the corner kicking his arousal to impossible levels. He wondered how it would be to have Daryl in his wolf form, to take all of him in, the human and the wolf. He didn’t have much time to think it over, for the next moment he was coming, Daryl’s expert hand jerking him off while he pounded his sweet spot mercilessly. Rick felt his whole body tensing, muscles locking in place as he shuddered through his release, shooting all over Daryl’s palm. He clenched hard on the heavy length inside him and was rewarded with a growl and Daryl’s sharp teeth biting down hard on the mark on his neck, the strength behind it enough to break the skin again.

Daryl couldn’t really stop himself from biting at Rick’s neck. Not when Rick’s body squeezed him like that and he was just this close to losing his damn mind. The taste of his mate's blood on his tongue was driving him wild and not helping at all. He closed his eyes, stroking Rick through his orgasm and letting him go down from his high. Daryl was still painfully hard and practically throbbing where he was lodged deeply inside Rick’s ass, and the heat around him was just making it worse. He tried to withdraw, but Rick groaned and slapped a hand over Daryl’s hip, squeezing, keeping him in place.

“Rick?” Daryl rasped out, body trembling with restraint. Rick would be over-sensitive now, and even if his mate was okay with that, Daryl no longer trusted _himself_ not to shift completely. He didn’t want to hurt Rick. Not in a thousand years.

“Come on, Daryl” Rick prompted, shifting a little, pressing his ass back against Daryl’s groin, tearing a broken whimper out of the hunter.   
“Don’t!” Daryl gripped his hips hard, stopping all the movement and tried to focus on breathing. It wasn’t easy, not with Rick’s scent all around him, with the smell of Rick’s come fresh on the blankets. The nature sang to Daryl, the siren song of pleasure and rightness, while being anything but. It was dangerous, but oh so overwhelming when Daryl could practically taste Rick in the air. Daryl’s body was on fire, the wolf scratching at his skin to be released and he couldn’t help the pitiful sound that escaped him no more than he could help his own hips grinding up against Rick.

“‘S okay, Dare…” Rick murmured soothingly, feeling his inner struggle. “I want to. Come on, I’m fine… you need it, baby” the hand on Daryl’s hip loosened its hold and started to rub over his skin. Daryl breathed in, breathed out. He drew almost all the way from Rick’s body before he slid back inside. The sweet whimper Rick gave when Daryl’s cock pressed on his oversensitive prostate was just too much.

Daryl froze, hands shooting to wrap around Rick’s chest, face buried in the nape of his neck where the re-opened mark was bleeding slightly.

“Fuck, Rick… _don’t_ … tell me to stop” he stuttered out, eyes clenching shut.

“I want it” Rick stated in a low voice.

“No… God, I don’t wanna hurt ya” Daryl’s whole body was shaking now, trembling where it was draped over Rick’s back, and the sheriff could feel just how tense Daryl’s muscles had been, coiled to the point of pain.

“ _Tell me to stop_ ” a desperate plea. Rick swallowed. Now or never.

“Do it!” He growled, bracing himself on the mattress with both hands.

A heartbeat, two. Rick blinked, waiting, and then Daryl gave in and let his wolf side take charge.

Rick _screamed,_ a long and painful sound, totally muted out by Daryl’s loud howl as he shifted, turning into a giant beast, pressing on his back. Rick couldn’t hold his position for long, not with 400 pounds settling over him, covering his smaller body entirely. His arms gave out under the weight and he fell face first into the mattress underneath, fighting for every breath.

It _hurt_ . It hurt so fucking much when Daryl shifted while still _inside_ him it made Rick breathless for a long time. His body tried to struggle out of instinct, and he had a hard time keeping still. He knew moving would only make it worse, but he couldn’t stop his muscles from shifting, no more than he could stop small helpless sounds from escaping him. It was just _too much_ all at once. Daryl over him, the gigantic body trapping him underneath, caging him in, his enormous length stretching him beyond the point of pain, and _fuck_ , but Rick was sure he was bleeding now. There was just too much pain for him not to be torn and, _Christ_ , but that made his mind pause for a second. He had asked Daryl to do it, he wanted to feel him whole, to give his lover all he could. It might not have been a smart decision, one Rick may regret later, one he definitely would regret later, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want it in this moment. He still wanted to give Daryl all of himself.

And then all rational thought fled from his brain as Daryl started to _move_.

“God!” He whimpered, feeling the length in him shift a little. Then a little more. It felt different, so very different. The cock in him was huge, big enough that it sent sharp stabbing pain shooting all through his ass when it moved even the tiniest of bits. But the size wasn’t the only thing that was different. It felt softer somehow, it wasn’t as full and steel hard as human cocks were, yet it still had very little give, spearing Rick with merciless shoves.

He whimpered again when the wolf started to move his hips faster, fucking into him in that single-minded animalistic way that spoke of wilderness, and Rick couldn’t stop the whine bubbling in his throat. The pain was radiating all through his trembling body, his senses going into overdrive as the adrenaline kicked in. It dulled the pain a bit with the next few moves, but Rick still had troubles breathing evenly, gasping and panting like a fish thrown on the shore. He froze when Daryl’s whole body shifted and moved, gigantic paws thumping on the ground next to his head as the wolf changed his position.

Rick felt Daryl’s snout, with his mouth panting and _snarling_ , tuck itself into his neck, resting just over his shoulder. Had his body still been cooperating with his brain, Rick would have moved his arm to pat at Daryl’s muzzle, to let him know it’s all fine. But Daryl was still thrusting harshly against him, the length inside him was still making his whole body twitch, and Rick just closed his eyes and tried to focus on breathing.

And then he opened them abruptly and actually fucking mewled, because something about Daryl’s length changed, and _oh shit_ , but now Rick knew what was going to come next. He remembered vividly how Daryl told him about his knot, how he only had it in his wolf form. _Nature_ , Daryl had snarled at him then and ended the conversation. Rick swallowed heavily, said _nature_ was currently rapidly swelling inside his ass and pressing against his oversensitive prostate and Rick could only open his mouth and gulp in air while he lay there, feeling Daryl’s paws scramble for purchase against his shoulders, claws scratching at the skin. The sheer weight of the wolf made something stab at the nerves inside his left arm, but Rick only whimpered at that, too overwhelmed with Daryl slowly stretching him even more.

The thrusts changed into furious grinding, and it hurt in the bad way, but it also hurt in the good way, and Rick’s confused body decided to focus on the pleasant feelings. For a brief moment the pain disappeared and he moaned, feeling his prostate being pressed by the knot mercilessly, way past the point of struggling.

“ _Dare…_ ” Rick breathed, feeling the wolf’s enormous tongue sliding between his shoulder blades, up his spine, up to the re-opened bite mark. Daryl started to lick at it, tearing it a bit more, lapping at the blood dripping from it slowly. Rick shuddered, knowing it was the same tongue that was made to tear meat off of the bone.

And then Daryl jerked his head back and howled, desperately pressing his hips to Rick’s ass, and Rick could feel the hot come flowing into him, and _fuck_ , but the knot inside him swelled _even more_ after that…

Rick came again with a silent scream, the constant pressure on his prostate enough to send him into a violent orgasm that burned his lungs and whitened his vision out.

 

__________

 

Rick was floating. He was warm and his body was in that lazy state of post-coital bliss, and he was sprawled on something soft and…

And something wet was touching his ass. Cold wet nudging his cheeks and warm wet traveling between them, and... Rick opened his eyes and reached down to swat at the wolf that was insistently licking at his abused hole. It stung a bit and felt weird on his tender flesh. The wolf was whining quietly, those little distressed sounds escaping the massive creature time after time.  
“I’m fine, Daryl” he moved to sit up.

“Fuck!” Apparently, that wasn’t a very good idea. Rick’s whole body ached, from his shoulder that hurt as if somebody stabbed him right under his shoulder blade, down to his ass that burned like if it was on fire. A pitiful moan escaped from his lips as he flopped back down, curling on his side, drawing his knees a bit higher. The action caused his muscles to shift and tense and another pained sound escaped him.  
“Okay, maybe I’m not that fine after all…” Rick murmured quietly, hissing when Daryl’s tongue was back, licking insistently over his opening. It fucking hurt, every sweep of that massive tongue jarred his nerves, and now he was sure they had torn something.

But Daryl’s tongue running over his abused hole, as gently as a wolf that big and strong could muster, it warmed Rick with that strange feeling of being safe. To his utter surprise pain lessened after a while and his body started to relax a bit. He sighed, shifting carefully to look down at Daryl, who just sat there, nose between Rick’s cheeks, tongue moving carefully and with precision, the soft whining a constant sound in the background. Rick reached out and threaded his fingers through the black fur just behind Daryl’s ear, careful not to jolt his aching shoulder.

The wolf moved away and lowered his head to the ground, pressing it flat to it, ears laid back along his head. Rick huffed.

“Hey, I’m fine” he tried, but Daryl whined again, one gigantic paw moving slowly to Rick’s legs, touching his calf gently, before Daryl withdrew it. The sheriff frowned.

“It’s okay, Daryl. I’m fine. Come here, will ya?” But the wolf remained where he was. “Please?” Rick added and finally, Daryl moved. He stood up, his massive form almost the size of a tiger, and slowly made his way along Rick’s body, plopping down next to him once his head was level with Rick’s face. Rick sighed.

“Can you shift back? I need to talk to you” he asked, placing one hand on Daryl’s paw, running his fingers gently through the fur, feeling comforted by the softness and warmth of it. Daryl whined again, but when Rick gave him a stern look he did what Rick asked. Bones crunching and moving, a small groan falling from his mouth and in the next moment, Daryl was lying next to Rick, naked and shivering after his shift. He looked at Rick with an uneasy expression, clenching his jaw to the point where Rick could see how his muscles worked.

“That’s better” the leader smiled softly, and leaned in to kiss him, hissing at every pull of his muscles. Rick frowned when Daryl seemed to be frozen in place, not really responding to his kiss. He pulled back and looked at the man carefully, seeing the tension practically painted all over Daryl’s face.   
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, starting to get really worried. Daryl’s eyes shifted from Rick to the blanket under him, looking at it with such amount of guilt written all over his features that for the first time in history Rick felt like slapping himself and doing it hard. Of course Daryl would feel guilty if Rick got hurt in a situation like this.

“Daryl, ’m fine, really. Hey” Rick brought one hand to Daryl’s face, placing it on his cheek, thumb tracing the soft skin just under his eye. Daryl knew that Rick was the one who needed comfort right now, yet he couldn’t help but let the guilt eat him alive. It was stupid… so very stupid to let himself forget about just how dangerous he could be. He should have known better than to let himself lose control like this. Rick had built him a mating den, the man had practically proposed to Daryl… and what had he done? He hurt him in the worst way possible.

Daryl squeezed his eyes shut, feeling them starting to water. He could still feel Rick on his tongue, his mate’s scent, the rich taste of his blood mixed with Daryl’s own come were still dominating his senses. And while the wolf side wanted to howl in happiness at their mixed scents, he was absolutely terrified about what he had done. He had hurt Rick. He had let his control slip and he had _hurt his mate_. He should be the one protecting him, he should be the one who knew better. And he still didn’t…

“Hey, talk to me” Rick’s whisper tore a small whimper from Daryl’s throat and he shook his head, eyes still squeezed shut.

“’m sorry…” he said, voice low. He could feel how his throat started to close up and he desperately tried to stop himself from crying. It wouldn’t help. It never did. And then he felt Rick shift a little, a few grunts of discomfort coming from him as he leaned in again and kissed Daryl’s lips slowly, delicately. It wasn’t long, and it was sweet like the finest chocolate and Daryl could feel his body tensing up. He was such a reckless idiot.

“Daryl? Can ya look at me?” Rick asked and waited patiently. It took a few moments, but finally Daryl opened his eyes and looked straight into Rick’s. The man smiled happily and ran his hand through Daryl’s hair, threading his fingers through it carefully.

“Finally” Rick whispered with a happy sigh. “What are ya sorry for? I wanted it.”

“I should’ve known better” Daryl mumbled, biting his lip. Rick’s hand travelled from his hair to the side of his face, cradling it gently, using his thumb to delicately tug the lip from between Daryl’s teeth.

“It’s okay, I’m fine, darling, I wanted it” Rick reassured him once again. Sure, that was probably the most stupid thing they had done to date, but it had been a wanted thing nevertheless.

Rick smiled gently, that small smile of his that was reserved only for Daryl.   
“I’ll be alright. I mean, no fuckin’ me for ‘nother week or so, but I’ll be fine” he leaned down and kissed Daryl gently again, happy that this time his werewolf kissed him back. After a moment, he could feel Daryl’s soft sigh fanning over his face as they broke apart, the tension finally leaving the hunter’s shoulders. Daryl looked up at him, hair falling into his eyes and making him look utterly adorable in Rick’s opinion.

“We should clean yer ass and put some ointment on” he suggested on a low murmur, but Rick waved him off.

“Ya already licked it clean, and the rest can wait” Rick sighed and leaned into Daryl, slowly squirming closer to him, hissing when his shoulder and ass protested every little move. What Rick needed right now wasn’t antibiotics or other meds, what he needed was Daryl’s closeness, that reassuring presence that always made Rick calm down. He got as close as he could, pressing his whole body into Daryl’s warmth, sighing happily when two strong arms wrapped around him. Rick tucked his face into Daryl’s neck, breathing in his wolf’s scent, feeling as Daryl’s hand moved and groped around them for something. Then, a fluffy blanket was pulled over them, covering them up to their necks, and he let himself relax.

Just as he was dozing off, he heard Daryl’s voice rumbling in his chest. He frowned.

“What?” He asked curiously, but Daryl shook his head and didn’t answer. Rick frowned harder, feeling the arms wrapped around him tense briefly.   
“Hey, tell me” Rick tried again and this time Daryl actually answered, in a defeated voice. Rick knew how much Daryl didn’t like to talk, and by the way his whole body tensed up at Rick’s inquiry, he could tell Daryl didn’t really expect Rick to still be awake.

“Did ya really mean it?”

Rick blinked his eyes open and pulled his head back to look at Daryl.

“Mean what?” He asked, not really knowing what Daryl was referring to. But the hunter shook his head again.  
“Nothin’, forget it.”   
“Daryl… tell me. Mean what?”

Rick watched Daryl bite his lip again, before he thought something over in his head.

“Ya built a den, Rick, d’ya know what that means for werewolves?” Daryl asked, voice so low Rick barely heard it. He shook his head, hoping to get an answer. Daryl fell silent for a long moment, and just when Rick was about to give up and ask again, he finally clarified.

“‘t means ‘I love ya’ in our language. It’s a commitment, Rick.”

Rick blinked. Then blinked again. And then, because Daryl averted his gaze once more and started to look a lot sadder than Rick could ever stand, he said the first thing that came to his mind. The truth.

“Yes” he stated simply, “yes, I do.”

Daryl’s gaze snapped back to him and his mouth opened, but no sound came out. Rick waited. He knew it was a big step for them, they never talked about their feelings, but recently the leader started to realize something. Being with Daryl, thinking about them being together, it made him happy. Maybe for the first time since he lost Lori, he felt complete, being right here with Daryl. Rick knew such decision should come at a different time, maybe after a long and thorough rethinking of what he needs and wants, but to tell the truth, he had already known that for some time. Daryl was his friend, his partner, his _mate_ , and even if Rick was still terrified of screwing this up, he wanted to have this. He wanted to have _them._ That realization brought a smile to his lips, a wide and careless grin of pure happiness and he let it show.

Daryl blinked at him owlishly as soon as Rick said ‘yes’, but the huge, loony smile that graced the man’s lips just afterwards, ironically, told Daryl he was absolutely serious. It was a happy smile, a smile born out of certainty, a smile Rick wore so rarely these days that Daryl wanted to be the one who put it there every single day. He leaned in and kissed Rick hungrily, overwhelmed by his own emotions, high on the love he himself felt for Rick.  
“I love ya, too” he whispered, when they broke for air, and watched in amazement and satisfaction as the smile grew even bigger.

“Had I known it was how wolves say ‘I love ya’ I woulda built ya a pillow fort earlier” Rick laughed and Daryl scowled.

“It’s a _den_ , Rick, a mating _den_ ” he growled, but there was no bite to it, just the playfulness that usually got into Daryl after a tumble in bed.

“A _mating_ den? Gonna do a lot of mating in here, then?” Rick wiggled his eyebrows at Daryl, trying to joke but the werewolf’s face suddenly went serious and he got very quiet. Rick knew he was still beating himself up over hurting him, even though Rick really didn’t feel that bad. Of course, there was pain whenever he tried to move, but he had been aware that things may go south and he still had accepted it. Besides, he had had worse before.

“I’m gonna be fine, Daryl. Gimme a week and we’ll be goin’ at it again” he smiled reassuringly, but Daryl shook his head.   
“We’re never doin’ _that_ again” he stated in a serious voice, glancing at Rick’s shoulder where the claw marks were starting to show, red and angry against the pale skin.

“Okay, no crazy wolf fuckin’, got that” Rick confirmed, snuggling closer to Daryl, tucking his face into Daryl’s neck once again. He could feel the adrenaline crash getting to him, his whole body shivering even if he was covered in a blanket. Daryl’s arms tightened around him, pressing him even closer, as a quiet rumble surrounded him. Rick smiled into Daryl’s skin, feeling safe with the wolf’s soothing purrs calming his body and his mind. Building a nest had definitely been the best idea Rick had ever had.


End file.
